Pheochromocytoma and sinus node dysfunction.

Pheochromocytomas are rare catecholamine-producing neuroendocrine tumors that can lead to detrimental outcomes; if identified and treated, they are associated with a good prognosis. The clinical presentation can vary greatly but is classically associated with tachycardia, headaches, and hypertension. Bradyarrhythmias and sinus node dysfunction are uncommon complications of this condition.

Can echocardiographically estimated pulmonary arterial elastance be a non-invasive predictor of pulmonary vascular resistance?

Introduction: Measurement of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is essential in evaluating a patient with pulmonary hypertension.

Material And Methods: Data from right heart catheterization (RHC) and echocardiograms performed within 90 days of each other on 45 non-consecutive adult patients were reviewed in this retrospective study. Patients were recruited using an assortment of strategies to ensure the presence of patients with a wide range of PVR.

Takotsubo syndrome (or apical ballooning syndrome) secondary to Zolmitriptan.

Takotsubo syndrome (TS), also known as broken heart syndrome, is characterized by left ventricle apical ballooning with elevated cardiac biomarkers and electrocardiographic changes suggestive of an acute coronary syndrome (ie, ST-segment elevation, T wave inversions, and pathologic Q waves). We report a case of 54-year-old woman with medical history of mitral valve prolapse and migraines, who was admitted to the hospital for substernal chest pain and electrocardiogram demonstrated 1/2 mm ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, aVF, V5, and V6 and positive troponin I. Emergent coronary angiogram revealed normal coronary arteries with moderately reduced left ventricular ejection fraction with wall motion abnormalities consistent with TS.

Prevalence of complications during implantation and during 38-month follow-up of 1060 consecutive patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.

During implantation and during 38-month follow-up of 1060 consecutive patients who had implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, complications occurred in 60 (5.7%) of 1060 patients. These complications consisted of fractured leads requiring lead revision in 36 (3.